On when I got my toes done...

Let me start at the very beginning...back in December, when I received a gift certificate from a local nail salon as a gift from my aunt. I was THRILLED to get this gift...I love getting pedicures but rarely take the time for myself to have one. The gift certificate has been sitting patiently on my dining room shelf, just waiting to be used. Fast forward to a few days ago. I decided that, on this particular rainy day, I needed a break. Chris agreed. So, when he came home from work, I showered, dressed, slipped on my flip-flops, and headed out in the pouring rain to get my pedicure.

I arrived at the salon. Walked in. Signed my name on the sign-in sheet, and picked a nail-polish color. Black, if you're interested. I'm not really sure why I chose BLACK, of all colors. I just saw it and it appealed to me. Perhaps it was a premonition of what was to come....

Anyway, I made it back to the massage chair and began soaking my feet. My sweet nail tech walked up and we had this conversation:

Her: Insert appropriate Asian accent that this southern girl could NOT understand. "You want Deluxe Pedicure? Or Regular? Delux is ten dollar more."

Me: "Oh. Um, well. I'm not sure. How much is a regular one?" My gift certificate was for $26.50. And of course I had no cash for a tip. And, since I am not blind, I noticed the ten signs proclaiming that this specific establishment did not accept checks. I wanted to be sure to stay within a certain limit so that I would be able to leave the nail tech a nice tip with the change from my gift certificate. Makes sense, right? RIGHT??

Her: "Regular is eleven dollar. Deluxe is ten dollar more. So Deluxe is twenty-one dollar."

Me: "Oh great. I'll take the Deluxe!" Reasoning that, after paying twenty-one dollars for a Deluxe pedicure, I'd still have $5.50 for a tip. Sweet! Or so I thought.

So, I had a Deluxe pedicure. And it was fabulous. I was sad when it was over. Or so I thought!

When I went to the counter to pay, my nail tech rang me up and we had this conversation:

Her: "That be 25 dollar."
Me: "Oh. Um, I thought you said that it would be twenty one dollars?" Imagine a slight edge of panic in my voice.
Her: "No. No, 25 dollar for Deluxe pedicure."
Me: "Oh. Well, I'll be paying with this." I hand over the gift certificate. My mind starts reeling as I wonder how in the world I'm going to make this right. In the back of my mind, I think that I can just buy a bottle of nail polish with my debit card and leave a tip that way. And then she hits me with...
Her: While glaring at my gift certificate. "This is for 26 dollar. How you gonna leave tip?"
Me: After closing my mouth- it had dropped to the floor. "Well...I thought you said it was twenty-one dollars....and I don't have any cash on me....so can I just buy a bottle of nail polish with my check card and leave you a tip that way? I'm so sorry about this."
Her: Screaming. I mean, seriously SCREAMING in her native tongue to the other lady working in the salon. I'm assuming that this other lady was the owner of the salon. I'm also assuming that my nail tech was screaming for her boss lady to run to the front of the salon and take care of this problem customer. Which happened to be me... :( Boss lady makes it to the front and the two continue to converse in their native language. Right in front of me. As if I wasn't there. Throwing spiteful glances at me the whole time. While the other two paying customers in the salon look on in horrified amusement.

Then, I had the wonderful experience of having this conversation with the salon owner:

Her: Again, imagine strong Asian accent and limited English...that I still couldn't understand. "You only leaving 1 dollar for tip?"
Me: While blushing furiously. "No! I thought my pedicure was only going to be twenty-one dollars. I'm so sorry...I don't have any cash. I was wondering if I could buy a bottle of the nail polish I chose and pay with my debit card. I can leave a tip that way. I'm so sorry!"
Her: "NO!" Points to a small sign on the wall behind the counter that plainly states that there is a ten dollar minimum for credit card purchases. "Nail polish only 7 dollar!"
Me: As mild irritation is starting to set in. "Okay. I'm so, so sorry. There was a misunderstanding on the price of my pedicure. I don't know what else to do. What do you want me to do?"
Her: As she hands me back my gift certificate. "You just pay for Deluxe pedicure with your credit card and leave tip. And keep this certificate for next time. You want to do that?"
Me: As full on anger begins to creep in. "No. I don't want to do that. I'll just pay with this certificate. I'll try to bring her a tip in next time."

Then, I turned on my heel and stormed out of the salon, vowing never to go back. I was humiliated. And I felt deceived! After all, I had specifically asked the nail tech how much a flippin' Deluxe pedicure was. And she told me twenty-one dollars...more than once!

I stomped to my car and fumed my way through town while I ran some errands. Sometime during the way back home, I started to feel bad. I called my mom. Told her what happened. And she hits me with :

"Erin. You didn't leave her a tip? Those girls make next to nothing."

And of course, she's right. I know that I should stop in and leave some money for my nail tech. I mean, really- this whole mess boils down to being about a few dollars. But my pride is just not letting me right now. I think that the way they carried on was beyond rude. And I'm still mad. Not to mention embarrassed. So I'm sleeping on it. Praying about it. A few weeks ago, I'd just let the whole thing go. But, my SOD (School of Discipleship) teacher has been challenging us to really live like Christians. All of the time. In every situation. Obviously, I'm convicted about this, or it wouldn't still be bothering me. But. My stinkin' pride just will NOT let me go back there with even a few dollars. Maybe in a few days. Maybe. I hope I'll get over myself enough to do the right thing. No matter how much it stinks!